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HEALTH

Italian schools and vaccination: Here’s what you need to know

If your child is starting school in Italy this month, you'll need to be up-to-date on the vaccination rules.

Italian schools and vaccination: Here's what you need to know
Photo: Schneyder Mendoza/AFP

There's been plenty of confusion over the rules on compulsory vaccines for children in Italy over the past year or so.

After the previous populist government's mind-boggling series of u-turns on the issue, many parents were left unsure of the requirements for children starting school. And as a result, many children aged under six will not be joining heir classmates for the new school year.

Italian news this week is full of reports of schools refusing to admit thousands of children who haven't received their mandatory jabs before attending school, including for chickenpox, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella.

Schools in the Veneto region, for example, are refusing to admit some 7,000 unvaccinated children under the age of six, regional health authorities said yesterday. A further 2,000 have reportedly been excluded in Varese, and 3,000 in Lombardy.

So what are the rules?

The so-called Lorenzin law, making vaccinations compulsory, was first introduced in 2013.

The rules cover all children aged 0-16 who are resident in Italy.

The vaccinations are compulsory for school children who are enrolling for the first time as well as returning students.

Parents or legal guardians of both Italian and foreign residents under 16 have to follow the new guidelines or risk being fined. Children under six can also now be turned away by schools under legislation passed in 2018, intended to tackle plummeting vaccination rates.

Which vaccinations are required?

– polio

– hepatitis B

– tetanus

– measles

– Haemophilus influenzae Type B

– diphtheria

– mumps

– rubella

– pertussis

– varicella (only for children born in 2017 or later)

Plus the non-compulsory but recommended vaccines:

– anti-meningococcal B*

– anti-meningococcal C* 

– pneumococcal vaccines*

– rotavirus*

* The list of extra vaccines is updated by the Ministry of Health every three years. See the latest information on the Ministry of Health website.

Why all the confusion?

While some parents are so-called anti-vaxxers who object to the immunisations, many others claim they were given misleading or contradictory information by health or education professionals.

Italy is one country where long-discredited claims of a link between the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism had a significant impact on public perceptions of the safety of the jab, and rumours continue to circulate.

After coming to power in May 2018, Italy's previous populist coalition government threatened to overturn Italy's existing vaccination laws, saying that requiring schoolchildren to be vaccinated against common diseases was “coercive.”

READ ALSO:

It protested against Italy's so-called Lorenzin law, under which children must receive a range of mandatory immunisations before attending school. 

The government later backed down over the issue amid a surge in measles cases in Italy, and the law was reintroduced in March 2019 – but many parents were left confused.

How do I make sure my child has the right vaccinations?

The mandatory vaccines are free. Visit the Ministry of Health's vaccine page for more information and to request an appointment online.

There is a national vaccination calendar which is linked to birth dates.

Parents who are new to the system should register with their nearest Agenzia Sanitaria Locale (ASL – local health agency) to get a login and password.

If parents can't get the required vaccinations done on time, they should request an appointment at their nearest ASL and present the subsequent paperwork to their child's school.

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LEARNING ITALIAN

The key Italian vocabulary you’ll need if you go to the dentist

A trip to the dentist can be a daunting experience in and of itself, but possibly even more so if your Italian 'dentista' doesn't have a good command of English.

The key Italian vocabulary you'll need if you go to the dentist

While some Italian dentists may be competent and confident English speakers, this certainly doesn’t apply to everyone. 

Additionally, an Italian dentist’s English vocabulary may not be enough to cover the full extent of medical and dental procedures involved, which is why they may naturally switch to talking to you in their native tongue when asking questions or providing information. 

So having some handy vocabulary under your belt can be a big help when trying to bridge any potential language gaps during your next visit.

Most people going to the dentista (dentist) will be heading there to have their denti (teeth) checked as part of a visita di controllo (routine checkup).

Once in the dentist’s seat, you may be asked, ‘può aprire la bocca?’ (‘can you open your mouth?’). You may be given some mouthwash (colluttorio) and asked to sciaquarti la bocca (rinse your mouth) and sputarlo (spit it out). 

The assistente (dental assistant) may take care of these steps while the dentist prepares for the rest of the examination. 

From there, it’s onto the appointment proper. The dentist will begin inspecting your teeth and your gengive (gums) for signs of carie (cavities). Plaque will also be on the agenda, and the dentist may opt to rimuovere la placca (remove the plaque) during a pulizia dei denti (literally, ‘teeth cleaning’) procedure. 

READ ALSO: ‘Very professional but underequipped’: What readers think of Italy’s hospitals

When taking a closer look at your teeth and gums or trying to remove plaque, the dentist or assistant may kindly ask you to girare or ruotare la testa verso di me (‘turn your head to me’). 

At this point, the dentist may also recommend you use filo interdentale (dental floss) more often, replace your spazzolino (toothbrush) or use a different dentifricio (toothpaste). 

If you are lucky, that may signal the end of your appointment. However, if your teeth haven’t fared so well since your last visit to the dentist, then it may mean you need further treatment, with a radiografia (X-ray) possibly required to determine the next steps.

In the event you do need some work done on your teeth, then there are a number of common treatments. The most common of these is an otturazione (filling). 

While some will get off lightly with a filling, other patients will need to have some more extensive procedures done. 

Treatments range from getting a corona (dental crown), undergoing an estrazione dentale (having a tooth removed) or doing the dreaded devitalizzazione (root canal treatment). 

If you have denti storti or affollati (crooked or crowded teeth), or a morso inverso (reverse bite), you may be required to wear un apparecchio (braces).

Whenever extensive (and painful) treatment is required, you’ll need to fare l’anestesia locale (get local anaesthesia).

Barring some exceptions, Italy’s public healthcare system doesn’t provide free dental care, which means you’ll have to pay for treatment out of your own pocket, though some services may be significantly cheaper than in the private sector. 

READ ALSO: Italian healthcare: Should you switch from public to private insurance?

Most Italians however prefer private treatment to public dental care to avoid long waiting times. 

Whether you seek private or public treatment, you’ll need to make a pagamento (payment) after any work done on your pearly whites. 

Other useful terms

Chew – Masticare

Molars – Molari

Premolars – Premolari

Canines – Canini

Incisors – Incisivi

Wisdom tooth – Dente del giudizio

Baby teeth – Denti da latte 

Tartar – Tartaro

Bad breath – Alito cattivo

Toothache – Mal di denti

Dental bridge – Ponte

Whitening – Sbiancamento

Waiting Room – Sala d’attesa

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